Apparatus for continuous casting and cooling system for same



United States Patent Inventors Serge Peyraud APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSCASTING AND COOLING SYSTEM FOR SAME 9 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl..' 164/283 Int. Cl B22d 11/12 Field of Search 164/283;

895, 283 Foreign, 273All References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS3,059,295 l0/l962 Vosskuehler l64/283 7/l947 Spooner 164/283 FOREIGNPATENTS 3/1964 Sweden OTHER REFERENCES Primary Examiner-J. SpencerOverholser Assistant Examiner- V. Rising Attorneys- McDougall, Hersh,Scott and Ladd ABSTRACT: An apparatus for continuous vertical casting ofmetals and alloys which includes one or more molds and a casting framesurrounding the molds in horizontally spaced relation therebetween withpassages through the casting frame for the flow of liquid therethroughto the mold, means extending crosswise between the casting frame and themold including a horizontally disposed frame member connected at one endto the casting frame, a mold support connected at one end to the otherend of the frame and at the other end to the mold to support the mold onthe casting frame, a deflector and overspill suspended from the framewith a spaced relationship therebetween to define a channel throughwhich the cooling liquid flows from the openings in the casting frame tothe mold and which includes a draft edge on the edge of the overspilladjacent the mold to form the liquid into a sheet for application ontothe mold.

Patented Aug. 11, 1970 I 3,523,572

Sheet 2 1's L 31 1 32 401 l 402 201 L FIG. 2

Patented Aug. 11, 1970 Sheet FIG. 3

APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUS CASTING AND COOLING SYSTEM FOR SAME Thisinvention relates to an apparatus for continuous vertical casting.

It is known that slabs or billets can be made by vertically casting amolten material, such as metal or alloy, into a mold with verticalgeneratrices having an internal cavity corresponding to the section ofthe product to be cast.

The mold is cooled to enable the material to harden. Generally, coolingis obtained by allowing a liquid, such as water, to trickle or flow overthe outer wall of the mold. For this purpose, the mold is surrounded atits upper end by a chamber, known as the casting frame, provided withopenings through which the cooling liquid flows. The mold is usuallysupported by the upper part of the casting or frame via a flangemachined in the mold in a manner to insure that the mold remainsproperly centered. The distance between the inner wall of the castingframe and the mold wall is governed by the pressure of the coolingliquid so as to obtain effective cooling. V

Unfortunately, a disadvantage of this arrangement is that the dimensionsof the mold can be varied only within narrow limits if it is desired tomaintain a proper sprinkling action. In addition, it is difficult tomake use of molds having a horizontal section other than round.

It is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus for continuousvertical casting by means of which it is possible to cast a range ofdifferent products and even a number of products at one and the sametime while insuring that the mold is effectively cooled.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention willhereinafter appear, and for purposes of illustration, but not oflimitation, embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanyingdrawings in which FIG. I is a sectional elevational view of an uppercorner portion of the mold and frame of a casting apparatus embodyingthe features of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevational view similar to that of FIG. 1 showinga modification for use with a mold of a different section or dimension;and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an apparatus adapted for use with threemolds.

The apparatus embodying the features of this invention comprises atleast one vertical mold and a casting frame surrounding the mold ormolds and in crosswise spaced relationship therewith. Between these twocomponents, a frame is provided which is attached at one end to theframe and at its other end to the mold itself and a deflector in theform of a horizontally disposed plate spaced below the frame and towhich an overspill is screwed and g which, in addition, is suspendedfrom the frame in a manner to form a channel between the casting frameand mold through which the cooling liquid is circulated from the openingin the casting frame for transfer onto the mold walls.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the apparatus also embodiesone of the following features, namely:

The frame rests on the casting frame through a flange which insures thatthe frame remains properly centered;

The mold support comprises a flange on the periphery of the mold whichrests in a retaining means with which the frame is provided at one end;

The mold rests by way of a flange on the other end in a retaining meanswith which the mold support is provided;

The deflector is fixed to the frame by screws and through at least onestud for enabling adjustment of the spaced relationship between theframe and the distributor plate to determine the height of the channelthrough which the cold liquid circulates;

The overspill is supported by a retaining means with which the deflectoris provided; and

At its end adjacent the mold, the overspill is provided with a draftedge adapted to form the cooling liquid into a sheet or stream fordeflection onto the mold wall.

Conventional apparatus for continuous vertical casting comprises acasting frame 1 provided with horizontally disposed openings 12 throughwhich the cooling liquid flows, and a mold 2 with a vertical axis 22.The mold has a peripheral horizontally disposed flange 21 which isadapted to rest directly on the upper part of the casting frame. Theliquid which flows through the openings 12 is deflected onto the outerwall 25 of the mold to cause the material cast within the mold tosolidify at 24.

The distance between the inner wall 11 of the casting frame and theouter wall 23 of the mold is governed by the pressure of the liquidinside the casting frame in a manner to obtain proper sprinkling orwetting of the mold wall 23. Accordingly, it is obvious that variationin the section of the mold is subject to serious limitations if it isdesired to obtain proper cooling. In addition, it is difficult toprovide the mold internally at 24 with a section other than round.

We obviate these disadvantages by providing between the casting frame 1and the mold 2 intermediate elements which, under any circumstances,insure that one or both molds of any section are correctly positionedand properly centered and that the cooling liquid is correctlydistributed and properly applied to the mold walls. These intermediateelements comprise on the one hand, a frame 3 in the form of ahorizontally disposed plate connected to the casting frame 1, and a moldsupport 4 in the form of a horizontally disposed plate attached both tothe frame and to the mold, and a deflector 5 beneath the aforementionedframe and mold support and which carries an overspill 6.

Accordingly, a channel through which the cooling liquid circulates andtrickles down the outer wall 23 of the mold 2 (arrow 10) is formedbetween the frame 3 and support 4 on the one hand, and the deflector 5and overspill 6 on the other hand.

FIG. 2 shows how it is possible with the same casting frame 1, the sameframe 3 and the same deflector 5, to make use either of a mold 2 oflarge section, as shown in FIG. I, or a mold 20 of smaller section, asshown in FIG. 2. It is sufficient, for this purpose, to replace thesupport 4 and the overspill 6 shown in FIG. 1 by corresponding elements40 and 60 of smaller internal section or dimension corresponding to thedifferences in diameter between the mold 2 and mold 20 shown in FIG. 2.

It is also possible to assemble a variable number of molds in one andthe same casting frame. In such instance, it is also necessary to changethe frame 3 and the deflector 5. This change can be made withoutdifficulty since they are far from cumbersome, easy to store and inexensive.

The elements may be joined together by any conventional means and it ispreferred to make use of an attaching means comprising flanges andretaining means which enables the elements to be assembled quicklywithout the need for special tools. On its surface adjacent the castingframe I, the frame 3 is provided with a horizontally disposed edgeflange 31 that rests on the upper part of the casting frame 1. On itsopposite surface, the frame 3 is provided with a retaining means in theform of a horizontally disposed recess 32. Similarly, the mold support4, 40 is provided adjacent the frame with an edge flange 41, 401 adaptedto be received in the retaining means 32 and, adjacent the mold, with aretaining means in the form of a horizontally disposed recess 42, 402 inwhich the horizontally disposed peripheral edge flange 21, 201 of themold 2, 20 is able to rest.

The deflector 5 is located beneath the frame 3 and it is secured theretoby screws 51 with studs 53 in between. On the surface adjacent the mold,the deflector 5 is provided with a retaining means 52 capable ofreceiving the overspill 6, 60.

It is of advantage to provide the inner bore of the overspill 6, 60, atits upper end, with a draft edge 61, 601 in order to form the coolingliquid into a sheet or stream of liquid for displacement onto the outerwalls of the mold for cooling the mold.

It is possible by virtue of this apparatus markedly to reduce the numberof casting frames required to cast a complete set of billets ofdifferent formats, thereby more effectively to use the casting frame andconcomitantly to reduce the amount of space otherwise required to storethe large number of heavy and cumbersome casting frames. It also leavestime for changing formats and for studies with a view to creating newformats.

The additional elements of this invention are light in weight, compact,easy to store and handle and easy to position in the desired locationfor use. It is also possible by using different overspills and moldsupports to cast products varying in section with the use ofthe sameframe and the same deflector.

It will be understood that changes may be made in the details ofconstruction, arrangement and operation without departing from thespirit of the invention, especially as defined in the following claims.

We claim:

1. An apparatus for continuous vertical casting which includes one ormore vertical molds and a casting frame surrounding the mold or moldswith a horizontally spaced relation therebetween and having openingstherein through which cooling liquid flows to the molds, the improvementwhich comprises a horizontally disposed extender frame removablyconnected at one end to the casting frame, a horizontally extending moldsupport removably connected at one end to the other end of the extenderframe and at the other end to the mold to support the mold, and adeflector and overspill members suspended from the extender frame with aspaced relationship between the extender frame and the deflector andoverspill members to define a channel therebetween in communication withthe openings in the casting frame and through which cooling liquid flowsfrom the casting frame crosswise to the mold.

2. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 which includes a horizontallydisposed edge flange in the portion of the extender frame adjacent thecasting frame for resting on the casting frame and properly to centerthe mold.

3. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 which includes a horizontallydisposed edge flange on the edge of the mold support adjacent theextender frame and a receiving means on the edge of the extender frameadjacent the mold support for receiving said edge flange.

4. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 which includes an outwardlyextending, horizontally disposed peripheral flange on the mold and aretaining means on the end of the mold support adjacent the mold forreceiving the mold flange.

5. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 which includes verticallyadjustable means securing the deflector to the extender frame member andfor adjustment of the distance between the frame member and deflector todetermine the height of the channel defined therebetween.

6. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 5 in which the securing meanscomprises a screw and stud arrangement.

7. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 which includes a retaining meanson the end of the deflector adjacent the overspill and in which the edgeof the overspill is received.

8. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 which includes a draft edge on theedge of the overspill adjacent the mold to form the cooling liquid intoa sheet for application onto the mold.

9. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 in which the cooling liquid iswater.

